Intro by Skip Cohen

I know I've said this before, but this might be my most favorite "Suzette Says" post to date. Why? Because she's made it so easy to understand and given you great examples of the process. In fact, she's done everything but stand by your side and tell you what buttons to push!

These days everyone is on the road, even if you're just doing a wedding on location for the day, you're away from your desk and while not out of touch, you're out of reach. So often your mind isn't directly on the business, but the project or client you're working directly with. But at the same time, you've got these little pockets of down time and an opportunity to easily capture a few images.

Taking advantage of the right mobile app gives you a chance to easily build content you might normally miss. Plus, one of your biggest challenges in social media is fresh content for your blog. Just doing a "ReelStory" a couple times a month will keep your readers in touch with what you're doing and reinforce your role as an artist.

ProShow has made it so easy. While typing today's post I downloaded the ProShow mobile app to my phone. It's FREE and only takes a few seconds to load. And for your laptop and main computer check out their newest announcement from Photodex:

ProShow 9 has just been introduced. It's phenomenal and as with everything Photodex offers, it's easy to use and can take your presentations to a new level. Plus, Photodex has even put together a 20% discount for SCU readers:

• Promo Code: SAVE20WITHSKIP   -   Discount: 20%
• Code is good for our ProShow Gold, ProShow Producer, and ProShow Web software. This code also works for upgrades. This discount can be redeemed by entering the code in the “Discount Code” area when ready to check out.

All it takes is a click on the banner below and you'll be off and running with the finest presentation software in photography!

by Suzette Allen

One of the things I plan for when I go on a trip, of course, is photography! Do I have the cameras, lenses, batteries, SD cards, tripod, laptop, ….? But for our mobile lifestyle, it’s getting more important to travel light… fortunately it is getting easier too!

After years of using a DSLR, I now use a mirrorless Lumix camera, and feel no sacrifice of quality- just the benefit of mirrorless and light weight! I can also carry a tablet, a tiny tripod, (or no tripod) and I can pretty much create whatever I want on the road. I will often wifi my images straight to my phone to process the images in either Lightroom Mobile OR Snapseed to get that polished punch I love, especially for social media.

Posting and sharing is vital but I end up wanting to share my ReelStories! There’s nothing quite as stirring and real as the video or the slideshow (or hybrid) of a series of images from the event that tells the story beautifully with music and transitions! Video and slideshows make a story far more compelling, let’s face it.
 
Well, ProShowWeb is one of THE easiest ways to tell a ReelStory, but did you know that the mobile app for ProShowWeb is actually fully functional with music and customization options?

I was shocked to see how simple it was to even figure it out off the cuff! Very intuitive. And the sharing to social is seamless and easy, just like the desktop version. I love the fact that the images and videos are being built in the cloud, so it doesn’t tie up my resources (on phone OR computer) and I can take a call or surf at any time during the process!
 
So today I built a quick show on my iphone, with just flower pictures that had been processed with snapseed! [Note: For those of you who used to use NIK software, Snapseed is basically the handy mobile version of NIK--and it’s FREE! (For those who don’t know the power of NIK or Snapseed,  you really MUST download it now and be amazed at what you can do to improve your images!)]

It was actually very easy to find and select all the images because Snapseed puts all the processed images in a folder on your camera roll. Then I just selected them, put them in a new album and fired up ProShowWeb and imported all the images at once. Selecting the theme and music and energy is all easy with the touch screen and the magic just happens! I even edited it a few times and removed some effects I was not fond of…. Changed the music too!
 
So whether your images are from your pro camera or your smartphone, you can make a beautiful, compelling show in mere moments with ProShowWeb Mobile App and share the fun effortlessly while you are on the Go!
We are about to take off on a series of trips for the next 12 weeks, so stay tuned for the ReelStories and the ReelFun of creating on the go!

Intro by Skip Cohen

Photodex and SCU have worked on a lot of different projects together over the years, and all with a common denominator - we're always looking for ways to help you build a stronger business. So many of you get so focused on your technical skills capturing images that you forget about "capturing" clients.

"Building Your Business" is an exchange of ideas contributed by some of the most successful, passionate and creative people in photography. With each new podcast, another artist has shared their insight and support with new ideas, along with some of the best tried and true concepts in marketing.

Neal Clipper is in the spotlight today, and it's especially fun for me to do this podcast. Neal and I have known each other for a whole lot of years going back to my earliest days at WPPI. He's based out of New Jersey and in one of the most competitive markets in professional wedding photography. One thing I've learned about Neal over the years, he never slows down. He's proof that hyperactive kids grow up and have careers! LOL

Neal knows how to focus on his subjects with his camera, but even more compelling is his focus on each relationship. Every wedding is unique, and he's always recognized the importance of the responsibility he has to be the eyes and sometimes the heart of each client.

Neal's video below is a perfect example of his ability to not compromise on the stories he captures. To see more of his images from other events, just click on any image to link to Abbey Photographers' website.

When you watch his video, you'll see some fun Photodex features. So, how would you tell your story? Today, whether creating your own marketing video or slideshows for clients, you've got the ability to make sharing images a truly memorable experience.  

Take the time to check out Photodex and ProShow 8. They're always focused on education to help you build a stronger business, along with ways to help you raise the bar on your presentations.

Intro by Skip Cohen

In 2009 I spent three weeks at Hallmark Institute doing public portfolio reviews. One of the other "judges" was Gregory Heisler. The process was pretty basic. Each of the almost two hundred students, one at a time, would put up their portfolio (actual prints), and each of the three judges would critique the work.

The three judges approached each student's work from a different perspective. For Gregory, it was often about the power of the images. Over and again he'd show how changing the composition and cropping of an image would add impact and completely change the story. Each time Gregory would critique a portfolio, I often learned as much as the students.

This week Suzette Allen is sharing something very different from her usual content and I LOVE IT! So many of you share images in the various forums that could be unforgettable, but because you ignored composition and cropping they become underwhelming. Just like Gregory, Suzette is sharing an outstanding set of tips to make your images more memorable!

You're artists, but many of you have forgotten a few of the ground rules. That doesn't mean you have to stick to them all the time, but as my old friend Don Blair used to say, "You have to know the rules before you have the right to break them!"

Creating great slideshows isn't just about still images, video, and great music. You need terrific images to make your work more habit-forming. Photodex is giving you everything you need to put them together, but it's your skill set and mind's eye visions that capture the images and create presentations that exceed expectations! 

Check out ProShow8 with a click on the banner to the right. Then, put Suzette on your radar for useful tips to give your images and presentations more impact.

You've got the biggest selection of creative tools in the 190+ year history of photography, and between Photodex and Suzette there's a never-ending supply of ideas to raise the bar on every image you share!

Balance is key- In life, in time management, in business and, yes, especially in photography! When we tell stories, we want our images to look pleasing and convey our message without distractions. We want to get to the point, or have viewers SEE our point quickly and clearly, not confused about the message. Many of those things can be accomplished by simply paying attention to composition and placing the important parts on the “power points” of composition.

Ideally, you would do this in camera when you capture an image, but it’s not vital. I believe in exploring a subject in every way and angle and vantage point to capture the strongest image. That means I evaluate later and many times, crop my image differently than the way I shot it. Sometimes you hit it perfectly- as if it was your 7th sense, but it’s great to know the tools to crop later if needed.
 
Let’s take a look at the typical cropping guides. The guidelines are overlaid on your image and the most impactful elements are placed on the intersections of segments. The points where they intersect are called the Power Points.

The first one, the Rule of Thirds, is probably the most common and the 4 intersections are easy to visualize for good composition. I also enjoy the Golden Spiral, based on the Fibonacci Sequence and use it quite a lot, placing my impact subject very near a corner. Triangles are another favorite, capitalizing on the diagonal line of energy!
 
Did you know, all of these overlays are available in PS and LR when you are in the crop tools? While you are using the crop tool, just press the “O” key to cycle through them to find the ones that fit best. When you get to one that has a right and left (like the triangle) or all 4 orientations, (like the golden spiral) press Shift+O and they will cycle through the options showing all positions. Once you get used to doing this, you will ALWAYS use this when cropping. Actually, after doing this for so many years, we develop an innate sense of what looks good, but it is still validating to see the overlay and know we are on the mark!
 
Because I want to be able to visualize these power points when I shoot, I overlapped all the cropping guides into one document and placed a red dot on each power point. Isn’t it interesting how they all line up on the diagonal, almost in a perfect line extending from the four corners? Once you are aware of that, you can visualize in your viewfinder when you are shooting to be conscious of those points and purposely shoot with good composition!
Here are some images that I modified with cropping to increase the impact. Any crop is permissible; it is a matter of taste; However, there are some stronger than others.

In this case, I photographed Rose centered in one, and in a perfect triangle in the other. The centered crop is ok, with a nice diagonal line of light in the grass, but I still liked it better cropped in the triangles pattern.

With my plum tree blossoms, a much tighter crop simplified the image and message. Then I painted it, giving it a soft delicate side and mood.

In this image, which I love, the gravestone was in the wrong position. But there was no way to shoot it with all the elements and have it be where I wanted. Photoshop to the rescue! I cut the gravestone out and moved it to where it looked best, and then finished the image. I love the light and the drama of this image. It is certainly a stronger composition with the headstone on the power point.
 
Next time you shoot pictures, think about mentally drawing that line from the corners and try to position the important subjects on the power points. Then check it and see how you did later on in PS or LR! Have fun.